No injuries in small fire at Wheaton North

April 11, 2013|By Carlos Sadovi | Tribune reporter

A police officer guards a door at Wheaton North High School where a small fire broke out in a classroom as a teacher was setting up a science experiment, officials said. No injuries were reported. (Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune)

A small fire broke out this morning at Wheaton North High School inside of a science storage room, Wheaton fire officials said.

The fire was reported in a science lab between 6:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. before students began reporting for classes, according to Community School District 200 spokeswoman Erica Loiacono. No one was injured.

Investigators later determined the fire started in a science storage room, between two classrooms, said Wheaton Deputy Fire Chief Bill Schultz.

School district officials initially said the fire started in a classroom when a teacher was setting up in a lab, but Loiacono later said she was mistaken but would not elaborate. Loiacono would not say whether anyone was in the storage room or how the fire started. She later deferred all questions to the Wheaton Fire Department, which did not release further information, only saying that investigators do not believe at this time that the fire was intentionally started.

As the fire was reported at the high school at 701 W. Thomas Road, DuPage County officials were also responding to a large fire at a home on Armbrust Road about two blocks away, according to sheriff's officials. That fire was reported at 7:20 a.m., according to the sheriff's office. The fire was brought under control within an hour and did not cause any injuries.

The two incidents are not believed to be related, fire officials said.